Method of forming faced concrete blocks



Get 23, mm 1,4713% 6-. S. WERT METHOD OF FORMINC; FACED CONCRETE BLOCKSFiled Aug. 51. 1921 Forming Faced Concrete Blocks, of which bewaterproof and release @et as, an

i artisan @YRUS S. WERE, 9F DALLVILLE, INDIANA.

mn'rnon air-romaine racm oortcnnrn spoons.

Application filed August 811, 1921!. serial No. 491142;},

To aZZ it may concern:

Be it known that l, (James S; Want, re-

siding at Kendallville, in the county of. Noble and State o'flndiana, acitizen of the United States, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Methods of the following is a Specification, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof.

My invention relates to a method of forming concrete blocks for buildingor other purposes. with a facing difierent in quality from the main bodof the block, and my invention has for its object to produce a concreteblock havin a facing which will I %urable and will. not crack ofi orsepara from the body otthe block by the action of the frost or otherweather action and which will efiectively protect the body of the blockfrom the action of frost or other weather action and will prevent thedefacement of the block by the working out of any excess of lime ghiithmay be present in the body of the loo With the above described objects,andother objects hereinafter explained, in view,

my invention consists in the method hereinafter described and claimed.

Referring to the drawings which show a simple form of apparatus adaptedfor- Figure 1 is a cross sectional View of a mold and tamper for forminga concrete block showing the portion of the mold back of the dividingplate filled and ready to receive the facing mixture.

Fig; 2 is a view of the mold after the space in front of the dividingplate has been filled with the facing mixture. V

Fig. 3 is a'siniilar view showing the front facingin position after thedividing plate has'been removed'and the block tamped.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the block with its upper surfaceremoved ready to to receive the top facing.

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the completed block with the tamper inposition to force the top facing into intimate contapt Fig. 6 is a viewof a form of scraper which may be used in removing the top of the mainportion of the block.

In the drawings 1 indicates the front plate, 2 the bottom plate and 8the back plate of a mold adapted to receive concrete to form a block. 4%indicates a tamper carried by an arm 5 and adapted to be brought down onto the mass of concrete in the mold to compress and solidify it andforce it against the walls of the mold 6 indicates a spacing plateadapted to fit within the mold near the front plate 1. 7 indicatesascraping bar adapted to be used to remove the top portion of the blockformed in the mold, having the serrated edge 8. Windicates va removablehopper adapted to be I placed on top of the mold to direct the concreteinto the mold and to hold such additional amount of the concrete as maybe necessary to fill the mold when the tamper is applied.

In carrying out my method ll place in the mold as shown near its frontplate 1, preferably about one-fourth inch from it, the spacing plate 6,this spacing plate being preferably about one-fourth inch in thickness,and fill the main ortion of the mold, backct the spacing p ate with theusual wet concrete mixture of sand, or sand and gravel, and cement inthe proportions commonly used, wet enough to pour, preferably. using towet the concrete and aggregate water containing asmuch hydrate of limeas will dissolve in itor even containing more or less hydrate ofllime insuspension, and fill the I ing plate and the front plate of the moldwith the facing composition. The spacing plate is then drawn out,leaving a space ofabout one-fourth inch between the front faceof themain portion of the block and the facin material introduced between thefacing p late and the front plate of the mold, which is at once filledby the flowing together of the material forming the main portion of theblock and material formlng the facing. The facing composition usedpreferably consists of equal arts of cement,

with the main ortion and front facing of I the block, and

fine sand'and finely divided marble or lime:

stone, wet up to form concrete, withwater containing as much hydrate oflimeas it will dissolve, and water glass in the proportion of about onepint ofthe ordinary commercial water glass to five gallons of the limewater. Coloring matter, preferably ace between the spac- V in powderedform, may be added to the concrete thus formed. The facing and thematerial forming the main portion of the block are then forced intointimate union and the block solidified by tamping.

As soon as the facing space is thus filled, the facing plate removed andthe block tamped, the hopper 9 is removed and the top surface of theblock formed is removed to a depth preferably of about one-fourth inch,in such a way or by the use of such an instrument as to leave the top ofthe block rough or serrated, as by the scraper 7 having the serratededge 8. The rough or serrated surface thus formed is then wetted withthe lime water containing water glass, above described, and the hopper 9being replaced, the facing concrete miXture is'poured over the block tothe desired depth and this layer of facing material is then tamped. Thistamping, which is an important step in the method, forces the facingmaterial into the cavities formed in the top of the main portion of theblock and also in the front facing and efi'ects a thorough union of thetop facing with these other portions of the block.

All of the steps of the method described are carried out before theportion of the block first formed begins to set more than justsufficient to retain its shape and not sufficient to form a surface toWhich the facing material will not readily adhere, particularly whenwetted as described.

The facing mixture of fine sand, marble or limestone dust and cementwould form of itself, a substantially water-proof facing mixed withwater not containing hydrate of lime or water glass, but the addition ofthe lime adds to the strength of the cement and the water glass acts toclose the pores against the passage of moisture either inward or outwardand thus prevents any ex-- cess of lime which may be contained in theconcrete from working out to the surface to cause the whitish appearanceoften observable on concrete blocks exposed to the weather. I

When the faced block has been thus formed and before it is removed fromthe mold it is watere'dwith the water containing hydrate of lime andwater glass in solution and, durlngthe curing of the block after it isremoved from the mold, this watering with the same solution is repeatedat intervals.

When the faced block formed as above described has become thoroughlycured the line of contact between the facing and the body of the blockwill not form a line of cleavage, the block if forcibly broken tendingto break otherwise than on this line and the expansion and contractionof the block by changes in temperature will not tend to cause cleavagealong this line of contact. y

- The inner face-of the front plate of the may, if desired, be formedother than plain so as to give the facing any ornamental ap-' pearancedesired such as that commonly termed tapestry.

While the apparatus shown is particularly adapted for forming so-calledconcrete bricks, that is solid blocks having the size and shape of theordinary clay brick, the molds may be of other shapes or sizes and maybe constructed to form hollow blocks as well as solid blocks.

The concrete mixture for the facin and preferably also that for the mainportlon of the block should be sufficiently wet to permit of its beingpoured.

If it is desired to face only one of the faces of the block, thedividing plate may be dispensed with, the main portion of the blockbeing made of the full size of the mold, its top surface being removedand the pare a considerable quantity of the hydrate of lime and Waterglass solution and to use this solution in making the concrete mixturefor the main portion of the block as well as for the facing mixture andthe other purposes described, the use of this solution in wetting theblock'before removing it from the mold and during the curing beingparticularly important.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is: 1 l

1. The method of forming concrete blocks having a face provided withfacing material distinct from the material of the main portion of theblock, which consists in first forming the main portion of the block,removing the to surface of said main portion of the block before it hasbecome fully set, wettin the top surface left on the main portion 0 theblock with lime water containing water glass in solution, applying thefacing mixture to the wetted surface, and tamping said facing mixtureinto intimate union with said main portion of the block.

2. The method of forming concrete blocks having two faces provided withfacin material distinct (from the material 0 the main portion of theblock, which consists in placing a dividing late nearv one face of amold, filling the mo (1 back of the dividing late with concretemixture,.filling the space between the dividing plate and the adjacentface of the mold w1th the facing mixture, d

withdrawing the dividin plate to permlt the facing and main portion ofthe block to flow together, tamping the block thus forming the mainportion of the block, removing the top surface of said main portion ofthe block before it has become fully set, applying the facing mixture inwet condition to the top surface left on the main portion of the block,tamping said facing mixture into intimate union with said main portionof the block, wetting the block so formed with water containing hydrateof lime and water glass in solution and permitting the block to cure.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature,

CYRUS S. RT.

